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UNIVERSITY OF MAIDUGURIMaiduguri, Nigeria

CENTRE FOR DISTANCE LEARNING

ARTS

ISL 104: Ilm Al-Tauheed UNIT: 2

ISL 104 ILM AL-TAUHEED 2unit

STUDY GUIDE

GENERAL INFORMATION

Course Code and Title: ISL 104 ILM AL-TAUHEED

Credit Unit: 2Year: 2016Total Hours - 28 hours @ two per Week of Study.For any queries or Questions contact the Course Lecturer Using your email through theCentre for Distance Learning Portal.You are welcome to this study Unit. Each Unit is arranged to simplify your study. In eachtopic of the Unit we have introduction, learning outcome, in-text information, in-textquestions and answers, summary and self assessment exercises. In-text questions andanswers serve as motivation for your reading and to encourage to pay attention to majorpoints in the text. Tutors will be available at designated contact Centre for Tutorial. Meetthem to resolve your questions and other guide. The Centre expects you to plan your workwell. Should you wish to read further you could supplement the study with more informationfrom the list of references and suggested reading available in each study Unit.PRACTICE EXERCISESSELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISES (SAES)This is provided at the end of each topic or Study Session. The exercises can help you toassess whether or not you have actually studied and understood the topic/study session.Solutions to the exercises are provided at the end of the Study Unit for you to assess yourself.HOW TO PREPARE FOR EXAMINATIONTo prepare for the examination you should read and understand the Study Materials providedfor you on C.D.ROM, prints or downloads from the Portal.Other things you need to prepare for examination include understanding all sample questionsat the end of every Study Session/topic Reading the suggested/recommended reading texts.ASSESSMENTS

1. The continuous assessment for all courses consists of 30%.2. The Examination shall make up 70% of the total Marks.3. Feedback and advice is a component of the continuous assessment

The Examination shall be conducted at the Centre for Distance learning (Centre). Studentsare to come to the Centre on the Examination date with all the necessary requirements. TheExamination is Computer based or e-testing one.


Acknowledgements


INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY SESSION


STUDY SESSION 1: THE MEANING AND SCOPE OF KALIMAT AT-

TAWHID

1.0. INTRODUCTIONIslam is a religion built on faith (iman) and action (camal). Faith without

action is incomplete just as action without faith is useless. Therefore the twomust go together to attain success in this world and in the hereafter. A personwho has unshakable belief in Allah and His Attributes is called a Mu’min(faithful). On the other hand, a person with iman but no practice (camal) is not atrue Muslim (Qur’an 2:177 and 8:4).

LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR SESSION 1

When you have studied this Session, you should be able to:

i. Explain the meaning of the term Kalimat at-Tawhid.ii. Describe the scope of Kalimat at-Tawhid.

iii. State the significance of the Kalimah.

1.1. THE MEANING AND SCOPE OF KALIMAT AT-TAWHIDWe shall define Kalimat at-Tawhid, discuss its scope and identify its

significance. It is however important to let the reader know what the Kalimah isbefore going into the details of our discussion. Kalimat at-Tawhid refers to theCreedal Statement of Islam. It reads thus: La ilaha illa Allah MuhammaduRasulullah. There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammadis Allah’s Messenger.

1.2. THE MEANING OF KALIMAT AT-TAWHIDThis statement means that in the whole of the Universe there is no being

worthy of worship other than Allah. It is only to Him that heads should bow insubmission and worship. He is the only being possesses all powers. Allcreatures are in need of His favor and seek His help. He is hidden from oursense and our intellect fails to understand who He is.

1.3. THE SCOPE OF KALIMAT AT-TAWHIDHaving provided the meaning of the Kalimah we may now ask ourselves:

what is its scope? This creedal statement of Islam is made up of two parts. Thefirst part is the Unity of Allah, which is the constant theme of the Qur’an. It isrepeatedly mentioned as the basic principle of Islam and takes several formssuch as:

“Have they a god with Allah?”“Have they a god besides Allah?”


“There is no god except Allah.”“There is no god but He.”“There is no god but you.”“There is no god but I.”

The second part of the creed Muhammadun Rasulullah is based on theMessenger ship of the holy Prophet Muhammad. This shows that ProphetMuhammad was nothing but a servant and Messenger of Allah. He is notAllah’s deputy or assistant. The very word occurs in the Qur’an 48:29.

In the hadith, we are told that the essential condition for the acceptance ofIslam is the acceptance of these two component parts of the Islamic faith (Bu.2:40) often referred to as imanu mujmal or a brief expression of faith. Thedetailed expression of faith which the later theologians called imanu mufassal,is set forth in the very beginning of the second chapter of the Qur’an (Qur’an,2:2-4). These include belief in the unseen, revealed scriptures (the Qur’an andthose before it), observance of regular Ritual Prayer (Salat) and charity (Zakat).

1.4. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF KALIMAT AT-TAWHIDThis statement is very important because before a convert is accepted into

Islam he must express it. Similarly any Muslim who utters it, as his lastexpression before death will enter Paradise. It is also the only distinctionbetween a believer and a disbeliever. To therefore refer to a Muslim afterexpressing this statement as a kafir – disbeliever is sinful in Islam. As long as hedoes not renounce his faith in this, he remains a Muslim or believer (Al-Mu’min). Similarly any man who does not make this confession is a non-Muslim or unbeliever. The basis for this remark is found in the followingHadith:

Whoever calls the people of La ilaha illa AllahKafir is himself nearer to kufr.Three things are the basis of faith: to withhold fromone who confesses faith in La ilaha illa Allahyou should not call him a kafir for any sin nor expelhim from Islam for any deed.

I.T.Q: When you have completed this session you will be able to answer this

question:

1. What is Tauhid?

I.T.A: Tauhid literally means the “The science of the unity of Allah”.


SUMMARY OF SESSION 1

In session 1, you have learnt the:1. Meaning and scope of Kalimat at-Tawhid with relevant quotations from the

Qur’an and Hadith.2. We observed that each of the two parts of the Kalimah is inseparable from

the other.3. A brief explanation of imanu mujmal and imanu mufassal and the

significance of the Kalimah were also made.

SELF -ASSESSMENT QUETIONS FOR SESSION 1

When you have completed this session, you can test your achievement of

learning outcomes by answering these questions:

1. What is Kalimat at-Tawhid?2. Explain the scope of Kalimat at-Tawhid.3. Of what importance is Kalimat at-Tawhid?


SESSION 2 BELIEVE IN ALLAH

INTRODUCTION

Islam has some articles of faith. Belief in Allah is the first and the root ofsuch articles. As Muslims, we must believe in Allah who is one in His person,name and attributes. He existed before any creature and will remain when allcreatures have died. Allah has beautiful names and attributes. The name Allah isa name par excellence. Unlike most Arabic names it is not derived from anyother word. It does not have masculine or feminine and singular or plural forms.It has ever been the name of the Eternal Being. The word often translated asGod Expresses the Supremeness of Allah on whom all mortals are dependent.He is independent of every creature. He is Unique and One in His Person andAttributes are also perfect. Ninety-nine of such attributes have been reported inthe Hadith as popular and Muslims are enjoined to pray to Allah using any ofthese attributes.


After studying this session, you should be able to:

i. Distinguish between Islam and other religions.ii. Explain the concept of Allah’s Unity.iii. Differentiate between Allah’s and human attributes.iv. List some of the attributes of Allah.

2.1. BELIEF IN ALLAHAs noted above, Belief in Allah is the first of the six articles of faith in

Islam. When a man is required to believe in Allah, he is expected to makehimself possessor of the highest moral qualities and attain the Divine attributes.He must set before himself the highest and pure idea which the heart of man canconceive, and make his conduct conform to that ideal. Belief in Allah isconsisted of some component parts. These are Allah’s Unity, Existence, andAttributes. Each of these will be discussed below.

2.2. ALLAH’S UNITYThe most important and fundamental teaching of Islam is the belief in the

Oneness of Allah. This is termed Tawhid. It is the highest conception of Allah,the knowledge of which has been sent to mankind in all ages through theProphets. It is the route of all the teachings of Islam. It is the knowledge pureand absolute without the least shade of ignorance. Tawhid removes all theclouds of ignorance and illumines the horizon with the light of reality.

Islam attaches great importance to the Unity of Allah and the finality ofthe Prophet-hood of Muhammad (SAW). As such there is no room for


polytheism (belief in more than one God) or atheism (belief in no God at all) inIslam. To believe in polytheism will entail the difficulty of the division ofpowers between the several gods if not a civil war among them. One can easilysee that all that is in the Universe is interdependent. Man for instance requiresthe aid of plants, metals, animals and stars even as each one of these objectsneeds another’s help in some way or other. A true believer denounces all otherkinds of deities and lowers his head in obedience to Allah, the Almighty. Thebeliever accepts and follows Allah’s commands in word and deed.

Tawhid includes the following aspects:i. Concept of Allahii. Attributes of Allahiii. Obligations of Allah.

Though One, He is capable of doing all things including, all themultiplicity of His Attributes. The Qur’an describes Him as follows:

“Your God is One God”“There is no god but He the Most Merciful.”

2.3. ALLAH’S EXISTENCEIn all religious books the existence of Allah is taken almost as a truth

requiring no further proof. The Qur’an advances numerous arguments to provethe existence of a Supreme Being Who is the Creator and Controller of theUniverse. In another way Divine revelation brings man closer to Allah andmakes His existence felt as a reality in his life and that is through the exampleof the perfect man who holds communion with the Divine Being. Allah is aReality, a Truth, in fact the greatest reality in this world that man can feel Hispresence and realize Him in every hour of his everyday life and have the closestrelations with Him. Such a realization of the Divine Being works a change inthe life of man, making him an irresistible spiritual force in the world. It is notthe solitary experience of one individual or of one nation, but the universalexperience of men in all nations, countries and ages.

Allah existed before all creation and when all creations cease to exist Hecontinues to exist. As He causes them to exist so also He causes them to die atthe appointed time

2.4. ALLAH’S ATTRIBUTESAllah is the proper or personal name of the Divine Being, as

distinguished from all other names which are called asma’as-sifat namesdenoting attribute. It is also known as the greatest name (ism a’zam). Being aproper name it does not carry any significance, but as the proper name of theDivine Being it comprises all the attributes, which are contained separately inthe attributive names. Hence the name Allah is said to gather together in itselfthe entire perfect attributes of Allah.


Allah is One although is capable of doing all sorts of things. Hence themultiplicity of his attributes. In the Glorious Qur’an it is said:

“And Allah’s are the most excellent namestherefore call on him thereby, and leave alonethose who violate the sanctity of his names"Qur’an 7:180).

Allah is spoken of in the Holy Qur’an as seeing, hearing speaking, loving,being affectionate, grasping, controlling etc. The use of these words must not betaken in any sense as indicating an anthropomorphic conception of the DivineBeing. He is plainly stated to be above all material conception and limitation ofmetaphor.

“Vision comprehends Him not and Hecomprehends all visions “(Qur’an 6:104)Nothing is like a likeness of Him (Qur’an 42:11).

We say, Allah sees, yet we do not mean that he has eyes like our eyes orthat he stands in need of light whereby to see things as we stand in need of it. Orwe say, He hears, yet we never mean that he has ears like ours, or that He standsin need of ears, or some other external agencies, to convey the sound to Him. Orwe say, He creates or makes things, yet we do not mean that he has hands likeours, or that He stands in need of materials with which to make things. Even the“hands” of Allah are spoken of in the Holy Qur’an (5:64) but it is simply to giveexpression to his unlimited power in bestowing His favours on which He wills.

Some of the more important attributes are al-khaliq the Creator, al qadimthe Infinite, al-qayyum the Eternal, al-aziz the Powerful, al-hakim the Wise, al-alim the Knowing, al-basir All seeing, ar-rahman the Most Beneficent, ar-rahim the Most Merciful, as-samad the Absolute, al-Malik the Sovereign, al-ghafur the Most Forgiven.

Among the attributive names of Allah occurring in the Holy Qur’an, fourstands out prominently and these four are exactly the names mentioned in theFatihah the Opening Chapter. The chapter begins with the proper name of Allahand then follows the greatest of all the attributive names rabb, translated asLord. While the name Allah is found in the Glorious Qur’an some 2,800 times,the name rabb occurs about 960 times, with no other names so frequentlymentioned.

Next in importance to rabb are the names Rahman, Rahim and Malik.Rahman and Rahim are derived from the same root rahma, which meanstenderness requiring the exercise of beneficence and thus comprises the ideas oflove and mercy. Rahman signifies that love is so predominant in the divinenature that He bestows his favors and shows his mercy even though man hasdone nothing to deserve them. The granting of the means of subsistence for thedevelopment of physical life and of Divine revelation for Man’s spiritualgrowth is due to this attribute of unbounded love in the Divine Being. Thenfollows the stage in which man takes advantage of these various means which


help the development of physical and spiritual life, and turns them to his use. Itis at this stage that the third attribute of the Divine Being Rahim, comes intoplay, whereby, He rewards every efforts made by man in the right direction andsince man is making consistent and continual effort, the attribute of mercyconveyed in the name Rahim is also displayed continually. The Prophet isreported to have said that:

Ar-Rahman is the Beneficent God whose loveand mercy are manifested in the creation of thisworld. Ar-Rahim is the Merciful God whose loveand mercy are manifested in the state that comes after

To bring creation to perfection however, there is needed the manifestationof yet another attributes. As submission to the law results in the advancement ofman, which brings reward, disobedience to the law may result in retarding hisprogress or bringing down punishment upon him. Therefore, just as rahim isneeded to bring his reward to one who does well or submits to the law, theremust be another attribute to bring about the requital of evil. Hence in theOpening Chapter of the Qur’an, Malik Yawmiddin – Master of the Day ofRequital, follows Rahim. The adoption of the word Malik or Master inconnection with the requital of the evil is significant, as ordinarily, it would beexpected that there should be a judge to mete out the requital of evil. Theessential difference between a judge and a master is that the former is bound todo justice and must punish the evil doer for every evil, while the latter, themaster, can exercise his discretion, and may either punish the evil doers orforgive them and pass over even the greatest of his iniquities. The attributivename malik is introduced to link the idea of requital with that of forgiveness.

From the explanations thus given of the four names Rabb, Rahman,Rahim and Malik, and their frequency in the holy Qur’an in general and in theOpening Chapter in particular, it is clear that the Holy book looks upon thesefour names as the Chief attributive names of Allah and all His other attributesare but the offshoots of these four essential attributes.

Just as a belief in the Unity of Allah is a source of man’s uplift, makinghim conscious of the dignity of human nature, and inspiring him with the grandideas of the conquest of nature and of the equality of man with man, so thenumerous attributes of the Divine Being, as revealed in the Glorious Qur’an arereally meant for the perfection of human chapter. The Divine attributes reallyserve as an ideal to which man must strive to attain.

2.5. MANIFESTATION OF ALLAH’S ATTRIBUTES IN DAY TO DAYHUMAN ACTIVITIESAllah is Rabbu’l cAlamin – the Fosterer and nourishes the world Keeping

that as an ideal before himself, man must endeavor to make the service ofhumanity, even that a dumb creation, the object of his life.


These attributes of Allah should be exhibited in the Day to Day activitiesof man. Allah as stated earlier is Rahman conferring benefits on man andshowing him love without his having done anything to deserve it. The man whoseeks to attain to perfection must do well even to those of his fellow men fromwhom he has not himself received, and does not expect to receive any benefit.Allah is also Rahim, making every good deed bear fruit. To attain this, manmust also do well for any good that he receives from another. Allah’s attributesMalik – requiting evil, not in a spirit of vengeance or even of unbending justice,but in a spirit of forgiveness, in the spirit of master dealing with his servants. Somust man be forgiving in his dealings with others, if he will attain to perfection.


question:

1. What is ALLAH`s attributes?

I.T.A: Allah is the proper or personal name of the Divine Being, asdistinguished from all other names which are called asma’as-sifat namesdenoting attribute.


In session 2, you have learnt that:

Attempts were made to discuss the concept of Unity of Allah. We alsolooked at the existence of Allah where we found that He preceded all creaturesand when all of them have ceased to exist He will continue to exist. Allah’sattributes and their differences from those of man were carefully treated. Wealso discussed ways in which men can imitate some of the attributes.




1. Write a brief account of the Unity of Allah.2. In what ways is Allah’s existence different from that of other

creatures?3. List ten attributes of Allah.


SESSION 3 BELIEVE IN THE PROPHET OF ALLAH.

INTRODUCTION

Another vital aspect of Islamic creed is the belief in the Prophets ofAllah. They ranged from Adam, the first human Messenger, to Muhammad, thelast. Others include Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Daud(David), Suleiman (Solomon), and Isa (Jesus), (peace be upon them all).

The Arabic word for Prophet is Nabi. A Nabi is also Rasul, which meansa Messenger. The two words are used interchangeably in the Qur’an, the sameperson being sometimes called Nabi and sometimes Rasul: while occasionallyboth names are combined. The reason seems to be that the Prophets has twocapacities viz: he receives information from Allah and impacts the message tomankind. He is called a nabi in his first assignment and a rasul in his secondcapacity. There is one difference; the word rasul has wider significance beingapplicable to every Messenger in a literal sense. Angels for example are calledDivine Messenger-Rasul (Qur’an 35:1) because they are also bearers of Divinemessages. Prophet-hood is a Divine gift to man.


After studying this session, you should be able to:

i. Identify reasons for sending Prophets.ii. Differentiate Nabi and Rasul.iii. Enumerate qualities of the Prophets.iv. List some of the duties and functions of the Prophets.v. Describe people’s reactions to the messages of the Prophets.vi. Mention names of some of the Prophets.

3.1. BELIEF IN THE PROPHETS OF ALLAHThe Glorious Qur’an in many places states that Allah had sent

messengers among every people (Qur’an 10:47 and 35:24) and that all havebrought the same religion of Islam. If a man believes any one of them, he mustand ought to confirm all. It is for this reason that in Islam it is necessary to haveimplicit faith in all the Prophets of Allah.

“Say you, we believe in Allah and revelation givento us and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob andthe tribes and that given to Moses and Jesus andthat given to all Messengers from their Lord. Wedo not differentiate between them and we bow toAllah in submission.) Qur’an 2:136).

One who does not believe in anyone of the Prophets would be Kafir – adisbeliever, though he might profess faith in all other Prophets.


3.2. NUMBER AND QUALITIES OF THE PROPHETSIt occurs in the Prophetic traditions (Hadith) that the total number of all

Prophets sent to different people at different times is 124,000. They were allmen of great piety and virtue. They always practiced what they preached, trulymodeling themselves on the guidance of their Lord. Allah mentions Ibrahim, aman of high caliber and noble character, and an example to all mankind.

There is for you an excellent example for youto follow in Ibrahim and those with him.(Qur’an 60:4)

He was also a man of greatest faith and courage. He submitted his wholelife to the will of Allah, and sacrificed everything for His pleasure almostincluding his son Ishmael. His example is outstanding according to this verse ofthe Qur’an:

There was indeed in them an excellenceexample to follow for those whose hope is inAllah and in the Last Day (Qur’an 60:6).

In Muhammad, surely there is another example of piety and devotion toAllah.

You have indeed in the Messenger of AllahBeautiful pattern of conducts for any one whoseHope is in Allah and final Day and who engagesIn praising Allah. (Qur’an 33:21)

And you are of an exalted standard ofCharacter. (Qur’an 68:4)

Prophets were men of highest quality, pious, honest and obedient. Theydid not demand from the people any reward for services. No matter how hardthey worked they were always aware of their mission and their Lord. Theyobeyed the command of Allah and struggled hard all their lives against theforces of evils and corruption. Prophet Noah for example said to his people:

No reward do I ask of you it. My reward isOnly from the Lord of the worlds. (Qur’an 26:127)

Prophet Hud (AS), Salih (AS) and Shucaib (AS) replied similarly to theirpeople the same way. (Qur’an 26:108, 127, 145 and 164)

We have to believe that all Prophets sent by Allah for the guidance ofmankind were true. A Muslim must believe that Prophets were given to everynation and that all of them were entitled to equal respect. He must not make anydistinction between them.


3.3. DUTIES OF THE PROPHETSThese Messengers brought Divine love and illuminated the world. They

were the teachers and models for the practice of the tenets they inculcated intheir people, under Divine guidance. A Prophet must have regard for highmorality. He must evolve a system that will bring every human instinct intoproper play and control every faculty in a way that may raise humanity andenable man reflects Divine morality.

They were given knowledge of the purpose of human creation. The divinemessage was price less and was not for the personal aim of life, and the laws ofmorality. They were shown the way of righteousness and prosperity in this lifeand the Hereafter. Messengers were sent to all nations to guide them on to theright path.

“Nor did we send before you as Messengers anyBut men, whom we did inspire living in humanHabitat”. (Qur’an 12:10).

All the Prophets taught the vital concept of Tawhid. They preachedjustice, truth and piety and talked about virtue, honesty and politeness. Theyspoke about individual accountability on the Day of Judgment and warned ofthe consequences for those who strayed from the path of Allah.

The fact that all the basic messages of the Prophets were identical in spiteof the vast time lapse, gives a clear indication that the source of knowledge ofthe Prophets was the same, namely, Allah. Therefore, the mission of theMessenger was to educate and aid the physical and the spiritual aspects of manon earth. If man fails, in spite of all this guidance, he has only himself to blame.

Allah raised many Messengers from amongst the descendants of Adam toreform them. Many listened but many also rejected the call and followed thesteps of the devil. After the death of each of the Messengers, their followersgradually altered and adulterated their messages and teachings; and people werelost to evil ways. There is no excuse at all for anyone who goes astray, forAllah’s Prophets conveyed their messages clearly and simply. Old timeswitnessed the earlier Prophets. Modern times, witnessed the coming ofMuhammad, to deliver the last message of Allah to His people.

Prophets had the proper authority and a clear mandate from Allah. Theyexecuted this message aptly and very often at the risk of their own lives. Theyrisked their social prestige and wealth for their Divine mission, but neverhesitated nor tried to adulterate or change the original message of their mission.All the Prophets honored their mission

All Prophets exerted every effort to establish the sovereignty of Allahover the people (Qur’an 23:23, 42:13, 43:26-27, 5:75 and 2:211). They alsoemphasized the duties of man toward his fellow man. (Qur’an 2:208)


The Messengers cleansed the lives of people, removed every kind of eviland fifth from their misconduct, habits and dealings, and adorned them withhigh moral qualities. Thus, they purified their hearts, ideas and the action ofwrong and unhealthy element and directed them into the right channels. Thuscharacter building was the most important function of the Prophets and theyachieved this objective through Taqwa, Piety or righteousness and tazkiya –purification.

Prophets were sent to establish justice and goodness in society (Qur’an57:25). The Messengers were armed with three things: the Book of Allah, Hisclear signs, and the balance of right and wrongs to establish such a system. Theytried to establish piety in the lives of individuals in order that the truth andjustice should prevail in the society.

Guidance was another function of the Prophets. Every Messenger ofAllah invited his people to the right way (Qur’an 40:53 and 7:203) and tried toliberate men from ignorance and darkness and show them the bright light ofIslam (Qur’an 2:257 and 57:9) Allah sent His Messenger to spread His word,give good news to those who accepted it and warn those who rebel against it, inorder that they might not complain of not receiving any message of Allah(Qur’an 5:21, 6:48-49, and 4:165).

Allah revealed His message according to His own plans. Prophets weremere instruments for its execution. They neither added nor deleted anything.(Qur’an 53:23 and 18:110, 4:80). The people are free to accept or reject theProphets. If they accept their message, it is they who will benefit from it, and ifthey reject it, it is they who will suffer. (Qur’an 4:59) Allah also appeals to thepeople to follow the Messengers, and in return He promises forgiveness andmercy to them (Qur’an 3:31-32)

3.4. NATIONAL AND UNIVERSAL PROPHETSProphets were raised from every nation, but their message was limited to

that particular nation and in some cases to one or a few generations. All theseProphets were so to say, national Prophets and their work was limited to themoral uplift and spiritual regeneration of one nation only. The final settherefore, in the institution of Prophet-hood was the raising of one Prophet forall the nations, so that the consciousness of being one whole might be broughtto the human race.

Muhammad (SAW) was sent to the whole of mankind and for all those tocome, and not for the Arabs alone. One thing is sure that no other Prophet isspoken of either in the Qur’an or in any other Scripture has having been sent tothe whole of humanities or to all people or nations, or is the Holy ProphetMuhammad ever spoken of having been sent to his people alone. He was theworld Messenger (Qur’an 34:28, 7:158, 21:10). He was the last Messenger.

All Prophets, being from Allah, are as it were brothers. They belong toone community. They were all raised up for one purpose: the teachings of all


were essentially the same. They were all truthful, worthy of regard, made nearto Allah, pure, guarded against evil. All were honorable and chaste, and none ofthem was insolent or disobedient to Allah.


question:

1. State the duties of the prophet.

I.T.A: Their duty is to bring Divine love and illuminated the world. They werethe teachers and models for the practice of the tenets they inculcated in theirpeople, under Divine guidance.


In Session 3, you have learnt that:

Allah sent to mankind from the time of Adam (AS) to that of ProphetMuhammad (SAW) men of proven integrity as His Prophets. While majority ofthem were sent to their specific people, Muhammad (SAW) was sent to theentire mankind. As a matter of fact there was no nation to which a Prophet wasnot sent. Though some scholars have suggested numbers of Prophets, we willlike to state that it is only Allah that knows their actual figure.

These Prophets delivered Allah’s message with all sense of duty. Some ofthem were accepted, others rejected, and yet a few of them killed. All prophetspreached Tawhid – Monotheism and condemned Shirk – Polytheism. They alsoguided man from falsehood to truthfulness and from darkness to light. Theywere faithful servants of their Lord and demanded no reward from fellow being.


When you have completed this Session, you can test your achievement of the


1. Who were the Prophets?2. Differentiate a Nabi from Rasul.3. What are the qualities of the Prophets?4. Name ten out of the Prophets mentioned in the

Qur’an.5. How were the Prophets treated by their people?


SESSION 4 BELIEF IN THE REVEALED SCRIPTURES

INTRODUCTION

Allah sent revelations to the people of the earth through some of theProphets. These are referred to as Kutub, Suhuf, or Zubur. We must remark thatmost of the books have lost their originality because of distortions andalterations they suffered in the hands of the followers of the Prophets to whichthey were revealed. Though many scriptures were revealed the following appearto be popular. Tawrah – Torah, Zabur – Psalms, Injil – the Gospel and Qur’an.The revealed scriptures were sent to deliver people from darkness to light andfrom wickedness to righteousness.

LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR SESSION4

After studying this Session, you should be able to:

i. Explain the following terms. Kutub, Suhuf and Zubur.ii. Identify some of the revealed scriptures.iii. Describe the effects of distortions on the revealed books.iv. Explain the significance of the Qur’an.

4.1. BELIEF IN THE REVEALED SCRIPTURESThe Qur’an and all scriptures revealed to the Prophets before Muhammad

constitute another article of faith in Islam. Allah sent these books for theguidance of mankind. Muslims are enjoined to believe that these books werefrom Allah and true.

4.2. NAMES OF REVEALED SCRIPTURESRevealed scriptures are mentioned in the Holy Qur’an under three names

that is: Kutub, Suhuf and Zubur. The word Kutub is plural of Kitab – book. It iswriting, which is complete in itself. Kitab is sometimes used for the chapters ofthe Holy Qur’an (Qur’an 98:3). It is also used for any previous revelation. It canalso refer to all previous revelations taken together (Qur’an 23:43) and for allrevealed books including the Qur’an (3:43).

Revealed books are also spoken of as Suhuf, (plural of sahifa) as in(Qur’an 87:18-19), where all previous books of Moses and Abraham are socalled, or as in (Qur’an 80:13 and 98:2), where Qur’an itself is spoken of assahifa. Sahifa means anything spread out.

The third name under which revealed scriptures are mentioned is Zubur(plural of Zabur) as in Qur’an 26:196,55:43) etc. Zabur means any writing orbook and particularly, the Book of the Psalms of David is called az-zabur.


4.3. REVEALED BOOKS AND THEIR PROPHETS

To Prophet Abraham was revealed the Mushaf, to David Zabur (Psalms):to Moses Taurah, (Torah) the Old Testament, to Jesus the Injil (the NewTestament) and to Muhammad Qur’an. None of the revealed books except theQur’an exists in its original form today. Some of the books were changed andmodified. Thus, it is difficult to establish authenticity of their various parts.

The religion of Islam requires a belief not only in Qur’an, but also in allthe books of Allah granted the nations of the world. (Qur’an 2:3 & 4, 2:285,3:183). A revelation was granted to each nation according to its requirementsand in each age in accordance with the capacity of the people of that age. Ashuman brain became more and more developed more and yet more light wascast by revelation on matters relating to the unseen, existence and attributes ofthe Divine Being, nature of revelation from Him, requital of good and evil, lifeafter death, Paradise and Hell.

4.4. POSITION OF THE QUR’AN AMONG THE REVEALEDSCRIPTURES

Beside bringing religion to perfection and making plain what was obscurein the previous scriptures, the Holy Qur’an is a guardian over those scriptures,guarding the original teachings of the Prophets of Allah. It is also a judgedeciding the differences between them (Qur’an 5:48, 16:63-64). It is elsewherepointed out in the Qur’an that the teachings of the earlier scriptures hadundergone alteration, and therefore only a revelation from Allah could separatethe pure Divine teaching from the mass of error, which had grown around it.This, the Qur’an did, and hence it is called the guardian over the earlierscriptures.


question:

1. Mention four of the revealed scripture you know.

I.T.A: Zabur, Taurat, Injil and Qur’an.


In Session 4, you have learnt that:

Allah revealed scriptures to guide people from the wrong path to theright path. These scriptures are sometimes referred to as kutub, suhuf or zubur.They were sent through Prophets and only Allah knows their exact figure.


While some of the books have been distorted, the Qur’an remains in its originalform. The popular revealed scriptures are Tawrah, Zabur, Injil and Qur’an.


When you have completed this Session, you can test your achievements of the


1. Briefly describe the following terms in relation to the revealedscriptures. (a) Kutub, (b) Suhuf (c) Zubur.

2. Identify and discuss the major revealed scriptures.3. Account for the distortion of the revealed scriptures.4. Of what importance is the Qur’an?


SESSION 5 BELIEF IN THE EXISTENCE OF THE ANGELS

INTRODUCTION

Angels are referred to as Mala’ikah. They are created from light. Angelshave wings and can take any shape when delivering Allah’s message. Theyserve Allah always and do not disobey him. They are not Allah’s partners orhelpers.

Muslims are enjoined to believe in the existence of the Angels but not toworship them. They are indeed inferior to man. The correctness of thisstatement lies in the fact that they were commanded to bow before Adam (AS).The most popular among the Angels are Jibril, Mika’il, Israfil, Azra’il, Ridwan,Malik, Raqib and Atid.


After studying this Session you should be able to:

i. Explain who the Angels are.ii. Describe general and specific functions of the Angels.iii. List names of some of the Angels.

5.1. BELIEF IN THE EXISTENCE OF THE ANGELSThe Arabic word for an Angel is Malak the plural form of which is

Mala’ikah. Belief in the existence of Angels is an article of faith in Islam.Angels are invisible creatures of Allah. Allah created numerous Angels andallotted each one a definite task. Some of them are mentioned in the Qur’an andthe Hadith. They include Jibril, Mika’il, Israfil, and Azra’il, Ridwan and Malik.

5.2. IMPORTANCE OF THE BELIEF IN ANGELSBelief in Angels is as important as the belief in Allah himself. For anyone

who denies the existence of the Angels denies the existence of Allah (Qur’an4:136). It is therefore essential for Muslims to believe in the existence of theAngels, who form the communication link between Allah and His subjects(Qur’an 2:285)

5.3. FUNCTIONS OF THE ANGELSAccording to the teachings of Islam, the Angels have a close connection

with the life of man from the time he is in his mother’s womb till his death andeven beyond, in his spiritual progress in Paradise and treatment in Hell. Thedifferent functions of the Angels in connection with the spiritual life of manmay be broadly divided into seven classes, which are detailed below.

The most important and at the same time, the most prominent function ofthe Angels, in the spiritual realm, is the bringing down of Divine revelation or


communication of Divine messages to the Prophets. The Prophet not only seesthe Angel but also hears his voice, and the Angel is to him therefore, a matter offact, reality. As the Angel is an immaterial being, the Prophet sees himsometimes in the shape of a human being and sometimes in other forms.

The second function of the Angels is to strengthen the righteous servantsof Allah, Prophets as well as others, and to give them comfort in trial andaffliction (Qur’an 2:87, 253, 5:110, 58:22, 8:9, 3:123-124 and 8:10). Closelyallied with strengthening of the believers is the third function of the Angels, thatof executing Divine punishment against the wicked. (Qur’an 25:21, 2:210,16:33, 6:159, 25:26-26, 8:50, 47:27, 15:7-8).

Another very important function of the Angels is that of intercession(Qur’an 6:12, 7:156, 11:119, 53:26). The intercession is really a prayer to Allahon behalf of the sinners on the Day of Judgment. We are told that the Angelspray for men even in this life (Qur’an 33:56). As regards men generally, theAngels pray for their forgiveness so that punishment in respect of their evildeeds, may be averted. As regards the faithful, they lead them from darknessinto light, and thus enable them to make progress spiritually. With regard to theProphet they bless him and are thus helpful in advancing his cause in the world.

It will be seen that in the spiritual function, the Angel is meant to renderhelp in the spiritual advancement of man. He brings the Divine revelation, and itis only with the help of such revelation that man is able to realize what thespiritual life is, and to make advancement spiritually by a development of hisinner faculties. The Angels’ intercession and prayer even for the unbeliever areundoubtedly meant to set him on the road to spiritual progress, while hisbringing of the believer from darkness into light, and in blessings, on theProphet, are the advancement of the cause of spiritual progress.

Every good and noble deed is the result of the prompting of the Angels.The Qur’an speaks of the Angels and the devils as leading men to two differentcourses of life. The former as shown above to a good and noble life aiming atthe development of the human faculties and the latter to a base and wicked lifetending to the deadening of those faculties (Qur’an 50:21-22).

Another spiritual function of the Angels is the recording of good and evildeeds of the man. Angels responsible for this are called Katibin honorablerecorders (Qur’an 82:10-12, 50:17-18, 13:10-11).

Some of the Angels are however charged with specific functions. Jibrilfor example carried revelations to the Messengers. Mika’il is in charge ofwealth and sustenance. Israfil blows the trumpet to signal the end of life andbeginning of the hereafter. Azra’il takes human soul at the time of death.Ridwan is the guardian of Paradise and Malik guards the hell.



question:

1. List three functions of the angels you know.

I.T.A: Angels have deference duties which include: carrying the revelation,

taking the human soul and blows the trumpet.


In Session 5, you have learnt the:

Names of some of the Angels and their functions, wares the importance ofthe Belief in the Angels was also stressed.




1. Who are the Angels?2. Write an essay on the general and specific functions of the

Angels.3. List the names of the Angels mentioned in the Qur’an.


SESSION 6 BELIEF IN THE PREDESTINATION ANDFREEWILL

INTRODUCTION

Belief in Qadar is an article of faith in Islam. According to this belief,whatever happens to the believers whether good or bad should be taken ascoming from Allah. At the same time man has been given limited freewill insome instances.

LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR SESSION6


i. Explain the Belief in Qadar.ii. Write for and against the views of Qadariyah and Jabariyah.iii. Distinguish between predestination and freewill.

6.1. BELIEF IN THE PREDESTINATION AND FREEWILLMuslims believe that Allah created the universe as predetermined by

Him. The predetermination is called Qadar. The Prophet, Muhammaddemanded the belief that the determination (Qadar) of all good and evil is fromAllah. The words on Qadar occurring in one Hadith are “that thou believe inQadar, in the whole of it,” and in a second, “that thou believe in Qadar in thegood of it and the evil of it.” A third version states that “thou believe in Qadarin the good of it and the evil of it, being from Allah.”

The good and evil of Qadar therefore mean that whatever good or evilthat comes to man must be accepted as coming from Allah. In other word a manmust completely surrender himself to the Divine will under all circumstance. Atthe same time freewill is the best gift granted to us by Allah. Everything hasbeen left to our choice. Whatever course we elect to adopt we find no one tocheck it.

Muslims because of their belief in Qadar are often accused of beingfatalistic. This is not correct. We do not believe in fate but in Allah, the Creatorof the Universe and of everything in it. We believe at the same time that theuniverse being so wonderful and complex and yet running so smoothly, musthave been planned and predetermined by Allah in eternity, according to Hiswisdom and will. When some misfortune befalls us, we resign ourselves to it assomething coming from Allah instead of despairing.

6.2. SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT ON PREDESTINATIONAND FREEWILL


Among Muslims of the past, there were two extreme schools of thoughton predestination and freewill. They were the Jabariyah and Qadariyah.

6.3. THE JABARITES (JABARIYAH)The school held that Allah is the Creator of man’s deeds whether good or

bad and that man is entirely powerless and without responsibility in the matter.They contended that man has got no power to go beyond his destiny or decreeof Allah before his creation. They cite the following Qur’anic verses to supporttheir position.

And whomsoever Allah guides there is noneThat can misguide him. (Qur’an 39:36)

And if Allah afflicts you with harm, then thereIs none to remove it but Him, and if He intendsGood to you, there is none to repel His grace(Qur’an 10:107).

The Holy Prophet said:“Nothing repels a pre-decree exceptSupplication.

6.4. THE QADARITES (QADARIYAH)The Qadariyah and later on the Mu’tazilah held that man has got freedom

of will and the consequence, or responsibility of actions. They cite the followingverses in support of their case.

And whatever affliction befalls onYou, it is on account of what yourHands have wrought. (Qur’an 42:32)The two views are opposed to each other and none of them can find a

satisfactory solution to the problem. The right view according to the majority ofthe Muslim Theologians is the mean between the two extremes. In other words,man is neither absolutely compelled, nor absolutely free.

Belief in Qadar therefore implies a belief that man is neither possessed ofabsolute power, knowledge and will, but his power, knowledge and will arecontrolled by the hand of Allah according to certain laws and not arbitrarily. Itis a belief that man has got no control over many things like birth, death, talents,and gifts, but he has got a very limited control over his doings either to followthe right course so as to bring reward or to follow the wrong course so as tobring punishment. It is a belief that everything is subject to Taqdir that is, divinelaws popularly called the Natural laws of the Universe. It is a belief that wemust go on working and thereby shape our own destinies.


I.T.Q: When you have completed this session you can test your achievement of

learning by answering this question:

1. Cite the opinion of Qadariya and mu`atazilah on man`s action.

I.T.A: The Qadariyah and later on the Mu’tazilah held that man has got

freedom of will and the consequence, or responsibility of actions.


Allah predestined some actions and gave man freewill in others. Thepredestination is not absolute just as the freewill is not. Muslims on the basis ofthe two faces of the belief in Qadar have been divided into two groups, theQadariyah and Jabariiyah. We found that none of these two positions is validbecause the belief in Qadar means that man neither possesses absolute power,knowledge or will nor is he is subjected to the absolute control of Allah.




1. What is Qadar?2. Who are the Jabariyah and Qadariyah?3. Differentiate between predestination and free will.


SESSION 7 BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION.

INTRODUCTION

Belief in Resurrection reminds Muslims that their living on earth istemporary and it will come to an end one day. At the end of the earthly living,every creature will be resurrected from death to give an account of his deeds onearth. Righteous people will be rewarded by Paradise and the wicked will bepunished in Hell fire.



i. Define the following terms a. Nashr b. Hashrc. Wazn

ii. Write on the Day of Resurrection.iii Describe the significance of the belief in resurrection.

7.1. BELIEF IN RESURRECTION

Another article of faith in Islam is the Belief in Resurrection. Accordingto this belief Muslims believe that at the end of the world there will be the Dayof Resurrection. They also believe that death is not the end of human existence,but there will be life after death. The people will be rewarded for good deedsand punished for evil deeds.

7.2. RESURRECTION OF THE DEADAfter every living creature on earth has died they will be resurrected. This

resurrection is called An-Nashr.

7.3. GATHERING OF THE PEOPLEAfter the resurrection, they will all be gathered in one place, which will

be very crowded and intolerably hot, except for those who did well in theirearthly lives. This gathering is referred to as Al-Hashr. The basis for this beliefis found in the following Qur’anic verses.

“Then fear Allah and know that youWill surely be gathered unto Him”.(Qur’an 2:203)

“Surely it is your Lord who will gatherThem together. For He is perfect inWisdom and Knowledge”. (Qur’an 16:25).


7.4. WEIGHING AND ASSESSING DEEDS OF MANKINDThen the deeds of the people will be weighed and assessed. This process

is called Al-Wazn. Thereafter everyone will be brought to account by Allah.This trial is technically referred to as Al-Hisab.

“But Allah will judge between them in theirQuarrel on the Day of Judgement”. (Qur’an 2:113)

7.5. REWARD FOR GOOD DEEDSThe righteous will receive their good rewards in an eternal abode called

Al-Jannah – Paradise.“And who believe in Allah and the Last DayAnd work righteousness shall have theirReward with their Lord; on them shall be noFear, nor shall they grieve” (Qur’an 2:62)

”As to those who believe and workRighteousness, Allah will pay them in fullTheir reward; but Allah loves not those whoDo wrong”. (Qur’an 3:57)

It goes without saying that Paradise will be eternal once meriting it; therewill be no question of being ejected from it. In support of this, the followingverse of the Qur’an is often cited.

“Pain will not touch them, and there is noExpulsion from it”. (Qur’an 15:48)As far as Paradise is concerned an oft-quoted utterance of Prophet

Muhammad is:Allah says: “I have prepared for my pious slaves(Men) things in Paradise the like of which noEye has not ever seen, nor ear ever heard, nor evenHuman heart (mind) ever thought of”.As for what is beyond Paradise, Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and other

great scholars of Hadith record an important saying of the Prophet:“When the people meriting Paradise will haveEntered it, Allah will tell them: Ask Me whatelse can I add to you? People will wonderhaving been honored, given Paradise andsaved from Hell, and will not know what toask. There upon, Allah will remove the veiland nothing would be lovelier than gazing their Lord”.

7.6. PUNISHMENT FOR EVIL DEEDS


Those who reject faith and doers of evils will receive punishment in theHell fire.

“As to those who reject faith I willpunish them with terrible agony in thisworld and in the hereafter, nor will theyhave any one to help”. (Qur’an 3:56)

“…and the wicked they will be in theFire, which they will enter on the Day ofJudgment”. (Qur’an 82:14-15)

Believing sinners, unless forgiven by Allah, receive their punishment inHell for some time, after which they are restored to Paradise. But the questionwhether Hell is eternal for the unbelievers, the opinions of the MuslimsTheologians have differed. A great majority of them however affirm on thebasis of (Qur’an 4:48, 116) that Allah may pardon every sin and even crimeexcept disbelief in Allah and that the Punishment that would be meted out forthis last sin would be eternal. Others opine that even the punishment of disbeliefmay one day terminate by the grace of Allah. These theologians deduce theiropinion also from (Qur’an 11:102 and 39:35).

I.T.Q: When you have completed this session you can test your achievement of

learning by answering this question:

1. Describe the significance of the belief in resurrection.

I.T.A. Muslims believe that at the end of the world there will be the Day of

Resurrection. They also believe that death is not the end of human existence,

but there will be life after death.


In this session we learnt that one day living on the earth would come toan end. Then all creatures will be resurrected and gathered on a day popularlycalled Day of Resurrection. On that Day accounts of deeds will be given andAllah will pass judgment accordingly. Good doers will receive reward in theParadise and evildoers will suffer in hell fire. While admission into Paradisewill be eternal; that of hell will be determined by Allah’s mercy.





1. Explain the following terms: a. Nashr b. Hashrc. Wazn

2. Write an essay on the events of the Day of Resurrection.3. Of what importance is the Belief in Resurrection to the Muslims?

References:

1. Ali, M. M. (1986) The Religion of Islam, Taj Company, New Delhi2. Hamidullah, M. (1981) Introduction to Islam, Islamic Publications

Bereau, Lagos3. Karim, F. (1939) Mishkatul Masabih, Vol. III, The Book House,

Lahore.4. Mahmudunnasir, S. (1981) Islam: Its Concepts and History, Kitab

Bhavan, New Delhi.5. Rahman, A. (1980) Islam: Ideology And The Way Of Life, The

Muslim Schools Trust, London.6. Rauf, M. A. (1981) Islam: Faith and Devotion, Islamic Publications

Bureau, Lagos.

university of maiduguri maiduguri, nigeria … 1-5/isl...isl 104 ilm al-tauheed 2unit polytheism...

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